English as a first –and second—language

By Danielle Allen, Senior Vice President

When I accepted a short-term assignment in London, I was thrilled, not only to be escaping the white-hot Texas summer while in one of the world’s best cities, but also about the ease of the cultural integration based on our shared language.

Soon, rings of “Cheerio!” with faux British accents showered upon me. In the days that followed, one particularly popular conversation centered on the topic of British-isms I was likely to encounter. It was an entertaining pastime, and one that didn’t dulled during my three months there.

Upon arrival in Blighty, I knew the basics... I’d be living in a flat, taking the Tube, subbing in “-ise” in place of an “-ize.” Sprinkle in a few “bloody”-s, “fancy”-s and “God save the Queen!”-s, and I figured I was in business. I had a lot more material to learn, as I uncovered new gems daily.

My first week was an onslaught of new terms, learning of “forecourts,” known to us as gas stations. At the coffee shop, I stood in the “queue” as I waited to place my order for my “take away” latte. I was disappointed to learn that even in May, I would need to wear a “jumper” (sweater). Surprisingly, the characteristic British sarcasm was not in play when they described a government plan as a “scheme.” Math transformed to maths and sports to sport in British-speak. And, I was most disappointed to learn that no one actually says “Cheerio!”

Being a lover of food, I was fascinated by the culinary linguistics. From Asian cookbooks, I was accustomed to seeing coriander for cilantro, but rocket? I saw it on menus everywhere. After a taste test and some Googling, I learned it was arugula. Fries are known as chips, chips as crisps, and cookies and crackers are referred to as biscuits. Desserts are often generically called puddings. In Edelman’s office canteen, they served a signature daily “jacket” potato (baked potato). Lovely courgettes—zucchinis—were in season while I was there, turning up in abundance.

After a fortnight, I began to sink my teeth into the nuances of British grammar. When you tell Brits a sentence needs a period at the end, it will completely baffle them, just as it does us when we hear “full stop” is the punctuation-of-choice. The comma seems to show itself as infrequently as the sun in London. On correspondence, no comma—nor any punctuation, for that matter—follows the salutation and closing.

Lest you think this is uniquely an American pastime, have a look at this recent BBC article entitled “Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples,” deplorable as they are.

Ta!